Electronic oral cleaning device

Abstract

In one embodiment of the present invention, an electric oral cleaning device is provided and includes a handle and a power supply contained therein. The device has a motor that drives a motor linkage, which includes a push rod that has one end that engages and moves a dental cleaning head about a center pin to cause an oscillation motion of the head. The entire head assembly is also interchangeable such that a flossing tool and various brushing tools may be utilized by the same device.

I claim: 
     
       1. An electric flosser comprising:
 a body having a handle portion and a head portion, the head portion including a movable section rotatably connected to a pin extending from said head portion; 
 an electrically operated motor in said handle portion; 
 a means interconnecting said motor and said movable section to rotationally oscillate said movable section in a clockwise and counterclockwise direction about said pin in said head portion; 
 a channel defined on said movable section; and 
 a flossing tool having a section in removable engagement with said channel, 
 whereby when said motor is operated the flossing tool is oscillated in a clockwise and counterclockwise direction. 
 
     
     
       2. The electric flosser of  claim 1 , wherein the head portion includes a locking flange and the body includes a notch that receives said locking flange to place the head portion in removable engagement with the body. 
     
     
       3. The electric flosser of  claim 1  further comprising a cap hinged to said movable section, said cap and said movable section include a means to secure the cap in a dosed position over said channel when the section of said flossing tool is in functional engagement therewith, wherein said closed position prevents the flossing tool from separating from said movable section. 
     
     
       4. The electric flosser of  claim 3 , wherein the cap includes side elements that engage and push a pair of opposable arms defined by the flossing tool outwardly from each other when said cap is in said closed position. 
     
     
       5. The electric flosser of  claim 1 , wherein the motor rotates a cam that moves a carrier attached thereto in a side-to-side motion, the carrier includes an aperture to receive a rod that extends upwards through the head portion to engage and move the movable section in a counterclockwise and clockwise oscillation. 
     
     
       6. An electric oral cleaning device comprising:
 a body having a handle portion, a head assembly and a neck portion intermediate the handle portion and head assembly, the head assembly having a movable section rotatably connected thereto; 
 an electrically operated motor in said handle portion; 
 a means interconnecting said motor and said movable section to oscillate said movable section in a clockwise and counterclockwise direction; 
 the head assembly having a locking flange and the body having a notch that receives said locking flange to place the head assembly in removable engagement with the body, such that the head assembly is interchangeable with a second head assembly having a different configuration; 
 the head assembly having a channel defined on said movable section and having a flossing tool that includes a region in removable engagement with said channel, whereby when the motor is operated the flossing tool is oscillated; and 
 a cap hinged to said movable section, said cap and said movable section include a means to secure the can in a closed position, over said channel when the section of said flossing tool is in functional engagement therewith, wherein said closed position prevents the flossing tool from separating from said movable section. 
 
     
     
       7. The electric oral cleaning device or  claim 6 , wherein the cap includes side elements that engage and push a pair of opposable arms defined by the flossing tool outwardly from each other when said cap is in said closed position. 
     
     
       8. The electric oral cleaning device of  claim 6 , wherein the second head assembly includes a first movable section engaged with said means interconnecting said motor thereto to oscillate said first movable section counterclockwise and clockwise, the first movable section includes bristles secured thereto, the head assembly having a second movable section that is freely attached to the head assembly such that the second movable section moves independently of the first movable section, the second movable section includes bristles secured thereto. 
     
     
       9. The electric oral cleaning device of  claim 6 , wherein the interconnecting means includes a cam rotatably connected to said motor and a carrier engaged to said cam and slidably attached to the body such that the rotational motion of the cam is transposed to a side-to-side motion, the carrier includes an aperture to receive a rod that extends to the head assembly to engage and move the movable section in a counterclockwise and clockwise oscillation.